On Friday night, the Spartanburgers (26-26, 57-60 overall) held a 2-0 lead for virtually the entirety of regulation until giving up a 2 run double in the top of the 9th. The game would end up going to extra innings, where a fateful bottom of the 10th in which the Burgers got the bases loaded with none out and failed to score was proceeded by a pair of walks and a wild pitch that plated the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th. Greenville went on to win 3-2.
Hub City looked to secure at least a split in the series on Saturday night with DJ McCarty (1-5, 5.25 ERA) on the bump opposite lefty Shane Drohan (0-0, 4.50).
Things did not get off to an ideal start for McCarty as Designated Hitter Nazzan Zanetello took a 3-1 pitch to the gap for a double. With 1 out, left fielder Yophery Rodriguez singled to put the Drive in front. They threatened again with 2 out when 2nd baseman Maximus Martin was hit by a pitch, but a groundout to 2nd held them to just the 1 run.
Hub City immediately answered in the home half, which started with 4 straight hits. Dylan Dreiling singled, newcomer Paxton Kling (replacing the injured Anthony Gutierrez in center) followed it with an RBI double. Malcolm Moore kept the train chugging with an RBI knock and then Ben Hartl reached on a base hit. Casey Cook bunted both runners up 90 feet, leading to an RBI groundout to short from John Taylor. Maxton Martin went down on strikes to end the inning and leave a man on, but the Burgers led 3-1 heading to the 2nd.
After a 2nd inning that looked like it was going to be deja vu for McCarty after a leadoff 2 bagger from Catcher Andruw Musett, DJ got the next three in order on a foul pop up to 1st, a comebacker, and an unassisted groundout to short. The offense paid him for that in the form of another run of support in the ensuing half inning. Figuereo was beaned to start the frame but later erased at 2nd on a 5-4 fielder’s choice that Rafe Perich beat out. Dreiling and King both walked to put Burgers on the grill for Malcolm Moore, who lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Perich. Ben Hartl went down swinging to end the inning, but Hub City led 4-1 heading to the 3rd.
McCarty struck out the side in the top of the 3rd and worked around a pair of singles in the 4th, once again being given some insurance after a 3 up 3 down 5th. With 2 out in the home 5th, John Taylor reached on a throwing error on the shortstop. Maxton Martin followed it with a base hit, and Taylor went first-to-third on the play. Martin advanced on the throw-in, and Gleider Figuereo delivered a run-scoring single to plate Taylor. However, Martin was gunned out at the dish on the play to end the inning, making for a 5-1 lead heading to the 6th.
McCarty would come back out to work the 6th, once again wiggling out of trouble after a leadoff double from shortstop Mason White. He struck out the next batter and then induced a 3-6 double play to get out of the inning. After Anthony Susac worked around a walk and a single in his lone inning of work, the Spartanburgers added on a crucial insurance run after the 7th inning stretch when Malcolm Moore reached on an error, took 2nd on a balk, and advanced 90 more on a passed ball, later to trot home on a 1 out sac fly to center from Casey Cook making it 6-1 heading to the 7th.
Case Matter made his 2nd appearance of the week to start that frame and it did not get off ideally for him. He walked center fielder Nelly Taylor Jr to lead off and Rodriguez followed it with a single. Both runners advanced on a balk and a wild pitch plated a run. Second Baseman Maximus Martin grounded out to 2nd to bring home another before a strikeout ended the frame, but the Hub City lead was shaved to 3.
Fortunately, the Burgers got one back in the ensuing half inning after Maxton Martin singled to start things off and advanced on a wild pitch. Gleider Figuereo singled to put men on the corners and with 1 out, Dylan Dreiling reached on a fielder’s choice where Figuereo was forced out at 2nd, plating Martin to make for what would be the final margin.
Case Matter came back out for the 9th, striking out the first hitter before being taken down for Mailon Felix, who retired his first hitter on strikes before giving up a single to 1st baseman Albert Feliz paired with a throwing error on John Taylor. In the end, the threat came to naught as Nazzan Zanetello fanned to end the game, securing the 7-3 win and at least a share of the series for Hub City and once again bringing them into a tie with the Drive atop the standings.
The Burgers can complete the pass and lock up the season series tomorrow afternoon as Kolton Curtis (2-3, 5.31) takes to the hill against a Greenville starter TBD. First pitch is set for 2:05 PM.
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